Laser aligned molecules: Applications in physics and chemistry

We discuss how moderately intense, polarized laser fields can align molecules to given axes fixed in space. One dimensional adiabatic alignment is illustrated by experiments on iodine molecules with nanosecond (ns) laser pulses that are long compared to the rotational period. Similarly, 1-dimensional nonadiabatic alignment is illustrated through experiments on iodobenzene with picosecond (ps) pulses that are much shorter than the rotational periods. Applications of aligned molecules, including control of photodissociation and strong field ionization, are discussed.